China Beach: The Complete Series (DVD REVIEW)
China Beach: The Complete Series
DVD Review
by Kam Williams
Vietnam War TV-Series Available on DVD
China Beach
was a groundbreaking television show because, when it was introduced to viewers
in 1988, most of the movies about the Vietnam War were fairly grisly affairs,
ala Platoon and Full Metal Jacket. By comparison, this relatively-refreshing
nighttime drama approached the conflict primarily from the unique perspective
of nurses, doctors, Red Cross volunteers, civilian personnel and the wounded.
The series was set at the 510th
Evacuation Hospital
and R&R Center,
aka the “Five and Dime,” a facility located in South
Vietnam on a site referred to as China Beach.
The program was widely praised by veterans for its verisimilitude, a reflection
of the fact that it was based on real-life stories supplied by soldiers who had
served in the conflict.
Among the stars appearing on the
show over the course of its Emmy, Peabody and Golden Globes-winning run, were
Dana Delany, Marg Helgenberger and Ricki Lake, to name a few. But playing
almost as big a role as the cast was its retro soundtrack, which featured 268
songs of the era, including hits by James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Aretha, Janis
Joplin and Van Morrison.
Now, on the occasion of its 25th
anniversary, the entire series is available for the first time ever, arriving on
21 DVDs and augmented by bonus items like a couple of China Beach
keepsake dog tags and three complete scripts. Besides all 62 episodes, look for
10 hours of bonus material, all of which adds up to the perfect gift for any Vietnam
War history buff, and better yet, one of those vets “still in Saigon,” as they
say.
Excellent
(4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 59
hours, 13 minutes
Distributor: StarVista
Entertainment / Time Life / Warner Brothers
DVD Extras: China
Beach dog tags; 32-page collector’s book; over 10 hours of bonus features,
including: episode commentaries; exclusive interviews; behind-the-scenes
footage; reunion footage; deleted scenes; gag reel; roundtable discussions with
cast and crew; and more.
To see a trailer China Beach, visit:
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